Used LEPAS L8

The L8 uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor and an 18.4kWh battery, driving the front wheels through a dedicated hybrid transmission.

It's electric-first, and on a charged battery you get up to 56 miles of electric running, enough for most commutes and school runs. When the engine does start, it either recharges the battery or drives the wheels directly, and the changeover is barely noticeable. Regenerative braking tops the battery up as you slow.

All of that results in a combined range of up to 745 miles, while rapid charging will take the battery from 30 to 80 percent in around 20 minutes.

The car has pace too, with 275bhp and 269lb ft of torque delivering 0 to 62mph in 7.9 seconds, but the emphasis is on quiet, comfortable cruising rather than outright sharpness.

Rear passengers get limousine levels of legroom, and taller adults will be comfortable back there on long trips. Boot space is solid at 507 litres behind the rear seats, and that includes a useful area under the floor and a wide, square opening that makes loading easy.

The L8 will tow up to 1,500kg braked, and the 6.6kW vehicle-to-load system turns the battery into a power supply for camping gear, tools or anything else you'd plug in at home.

Insurance sits at group 30 out of 50, which is fair for a big plug-in hybrid, and the low CO2 figure keeps company car tax down. If you’re charging mostly at home, fuel bills stay modest too.

From new, the L8 is covered by a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, with eight years on the battery, and servicing can be handled at any Evans Halshaw dealership.

Inside, the L8 leans upmarket with a 13.2-inch portrait touchscreen which sits front and centre, and a 10.25-inch digital driver's display behind the wheel. A panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control and keyless go all come as standard.

The higher spec interior gets genuinely indulgent, with heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, acoustic glass and active noise cancellation, ambient lighting in 256 colours, a heated windscreen and an eight-speaker Sony sound system. A 540-degree camera and parking assist make tight parking spots easy to judge.

Safety kit is generous too, and every L8 carries ten airbags, with driver aids standard across the board. These include Autonomous Emergency Braking, emergency lane keeping and front distance monitoring.

Adaptive cruise control makes motorway miles far more manageable, while intelligent speed limit assist keeps an eye on changing limits.

If you want a big, comfortable family SUV that runs on electricity around town and still covers long trips without stopping to charge, the L8 makes a strong case. Space, kit and cabin quality are its standout features.

Chief among its rivals is the Kia Sportage, a familiar choice with a plug-in hybrid option, while the Hyundai TUCSON offers similar practicality and the Volkswagen Tiguan brings a badge with decades of history behind it.

None of them, though, gives you quite as much equipment for the money as the LEPAS L8.